Germany responded on Wednesday to claims made by US presidential candidate Donald Trump regarding the country's energy network, and also addressed his unfounded assertion that immigrants are consuming Americans' pets. During the final moments of his closely-watched debate with Democratic rival Kamala Harris on Tuesday, Trump criticized her stance on fracking and fossil fuels, stating, "Germany tried that and within one year they were back to building normal energy plants."
The German foreign ministry promptly refuted Trump's comments on X, asserting, "Like it or not: Germany's energy system is fully operational, with more than 50 per cent renewables." The ministry, via its English-language account, emphasized that Germany is "shutting down — not building — coal & nuclear plants" and aims to phase out coal entirely by 2038 at the latest.
The German government faced criticism from climate activists for temporarily reopening coal-fired power stations in 2022 and increasing imports of liquefied natural gas after Russia reduced energy supplies following its invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Berlin has significantly reduced its reliance on fossil fuels. In the first half of this year, renewable sources accounted for 61 per cent of electricity generation, while coal contributed just 23 per cent.
At a press conference on Wednesday, a government spokesman expressed surprise at Trump's remarks, stating, "I didn't know what the presidential candidate meant with this." The foreign ministry also seized the opportunity to debunk Trump's baseless claim about immigrants eating pets, adding, "PS: We also don't eat cats and dogs."
During the debate, Trump referenced an unverified claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are stealing pets for food. This rumor, which has been repeated by Trump's running mate J.D. Vance and other Republican figures, has been denied by law enforcement. Springfield police stated, "There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community."
Throughout his presidency, Trump frequently criticized Berlin on various issues, including military spending and Germany's robust exports.
